Rockford named ‘hottest’ US housing market

  • Rockford takes first place in website’s ‘hottest’ housing market survey
  • Homes there move nearly twice as fast as the national median
  • The city bumped Manchester, New Hampshire, from the top
FILE - A for sale sign is posted in front of a home in Sacramento, Calif., March 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

FILE – A for sale sign is posted in front of a home in Sacramento, Calif., March 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

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(NewsNation) — The northern Illinois city of Rockford continues trending as one of the hottest U.S. housing markets, a real estate website says.

In December, the Rust Belt town 90 miles northwest of Chicago ranked No. 1 on the list of Realtor.com “Hottest Housing Markets” after topping a Wall Street Journal/Realtor.com list of housing markets to watch last year.

Rockford, population 146,120, took the top ranking from longtime contender Manchester, New Hampshire, which moved to No. 2 on the list.

Homes in Rockford had a median list price of $242,000, with residences moving within 43 days of being placed on the market. The national median is 70 days, according to Realtor.com.

“Rockford’s hotness means that high demand is met with low inventory as buyers claim available homes,” Realtor.com senior economic analyst Hannah Jones said in a statement. “This affordable area has seen sustained demand this year as mortgage rates and home prices deter buyers from searching in higher-priced areas.”

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